Proton/antiproton collisions with positronium in the presence of an electric field

Effects of aligned electric field on the hydrogen formation mechanism have been studied. Classical trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC) method is used to simulate the proton/antiproton collisions with positronium (Ps) in the energy range of 1-200 keV. Total cross section for an electron/positron capture by colliding proton/antiproton has been calculated using the simple Coulomb potential. The hydrogen and antihydrogen formation in these capture processes, as expected, is reported to be charge conjugate. The capture cross sections are in reasonable agreement with the recently reported experimental and theoretical results. The effects of the external electric field are seen to be quite prominent.     

The influence of f-type function in positron-He/positron-H2 scattering with the Schwinger multichannel method

In this paper we present results for positron-Helium and positron-H₂ scattering with the inclusion of the f-type Cartesian Gaussian functions in our computer codes of the Schwinger multichannel method (SMC). The effects of this modification can be noticed in the integral cross-section for both studied targets, with our new curves being closer to the most recent experimental measurements. The inclusion of the f-type function in the scattering wave function expansion also helped us to obtain a better set of results with the SMC method for the annihilation parameter. Data for differential cross-section (DCS) for helium is presented as well as our improvement in the DCS data in the forward scattering angles for the hydrogen molecule.     

Negative differential conductivity of positrons in gases

This paper reports on a new series of calculations of positron transport properties based on current experimental cross section data. It is found that negative differential conductivity (NDC) occurs in the bulk drift velocity W but not the flux drift velocity w. The origin of the phenomenon lies in the “reactive” nature of positron collisions associated with positronium Ps formation, and is quite different in origin to the better known NDC effect in w arising from certain combinations of inelastic-elastic cross sections. Moreover, while the Ps formation process is qualitatively similar (at least from a kinetic theory perspective) to electron attachment, it is characterized by a cross section several orders of magnitude larger and hence the “reactive” NDC effect is correspondingly more pronounced. In this paper we test both established conditions for NDC, and develop new criteria, using simple mathematics and physical arguments where possible.     

On the double ionization of helium by very slow antiproton impact

Here we present experimental information on the cross section for double ionization of helium atoms by slow antiproton impact. It is used to discern between many advanced theoretical calculations. Earlier measurements of the ratio R between the double and single ionization cross sections for antiproton impact on helium show a persistent increase for the projectile energy decreasing from 10 MeV to 10 keV. The present data show that below 10 keV this increase stops and we give an upper limit to R.     

Near-threshold positron impact ionization of hydrogen

The hyperspherical hidden crossing method (HHCM) is used to investigate positron impact ionization of hydrogen near threshold. An important feature of this method is that it can provide valuable insight into scattering processes. In the calculation of positron-hydrogen ionization, the adiabatic Hamiltonian is expanded about the Wannier saddle point; anharmonic corrections are treated perturbatively. The S-wave results are consistent with the Wannier threshold law and with the extended threshold law that was previously derived using the HHCM. We have extended the previous HHCM calculation to higher angular momenta L and have calculated the absolute ionization cross-section for L = 0, 1 and 2. The HHCM calculation confirms that the S-wave ionization cross-section is small and provides the reason why it is small. The HHCM ionization cross-section (summed over the lowest partial waves) is compared with a convergent close-coupling calculation, a 33-state close-coupling calculation and experimental data.     

Positron-impact ionization of atoms and molecules

This paper presents the level of agreement between theory and experiment for positron-impact ionization of atoms and molecules. Distorted-wave theoretical models are able to reproduce the experimental integrated cross sections for atoms and diatomic molecules. The ECC phenomenon seen in the experimental triple differential cross sections can be obtained with a BBK-type model, but for very low impact energies the theory requires the inclusion of the coupling with the positronium formation channel.     

Near threshold vibrational excitation of molecules by positron impact: A projection operator approach

We report vibrational excitation (ν_i=0→ν_f=1) cross-sections for positron scattering by H₂ and model calculations for the (ν_i=0→ν_f=1) excitation of the C-C symmetric stretch mode of C₂H₂. The Feshbach projection operator formalism was employed to vibrationally resolve the fixed-nuclei phase shifts obtained with the Schwinger multichannel method. The near threshold behavior of H₂ and C₂H₂ significantly differ in the sense that no low lying singularity (either virtual or bound state) was found for the former, while a e⁺-acetylene virtual state was found at the equilibrium geometry (this virtual state becomes a bound state upon stretching the molecule). For C₂H₂, we also performed model calculations comparing excitation cross-sections arising from virtual (-iκ₀) and bound (+iκ₀) states symmetrically located around the origin of the complex momentum plane (i.e. having the same κ₀). The virtual state is seen to significantly couple to vibrations, and similar cross-sections were obtained for shallow bound and virtual states.     

Low energy positron scattering from helium

A new experiment has been developed for high resolution studies of positron scattering from atoms and molecules. Based on the Surko trap technology, a pulsed positron beam has been used to obtain preliminary measurements of low energy, differential elastic scattering cross sections from helium. The operation of the beamline is described and preliminary absolute cross section values for scattering energies of 5, 10 and 15 eV are presented and compared with contemporary theoretical calculations.     

Threshold effects in the ionization of atoms by positron impact

We employ different theoretical models, both classical and quantum-mechanical, to explore the recoil-ion momentum distribution in positron-atom collisions. We pay special attention to the vicinity of the kinematical threshold between ionization and positronium formation. We demonstrate that it is intertwined by dynamical constraints to the formation of highly excited and low-lying continuum electron-positron states. Finally we discuss how the study of recoil-ion momentum distribution, which is characteristic of a reaction microscopy technique, might represent an alternative approach to the standard spectroscopy of electrons and positrons.     

Analysis of the potential for sub-eV Ps beams

Understanding the interactions of Ps at low energies has challenged researchers due to the inability to create Ps near thermal energies in a directed fashion. As a result, previous attempts to understand interactions such as the scattering cross-section (σ) between Ps and other atoms have relied on indirect methods. Examples are the measurements of the thermalization rate of Ps in a gas environment or lifetime measurements in various systems. In analyzing the pore size of certain nanotube materials we have observed 3-10% of incident positrons form long lived Ps within the sample. Due to the alignment of these tubes we expect Ps emitted from them to be highly directional. By focusing a time-tagged positron beam on these samples we will use the resulting directional Ps emitted at near thermal energies for various scattering experiments.     

Theoretical investigations of electron emission after water vapour ionization by light ion impact

An ab initio quantum-mechanical treatment is applied for treating the ionization process of water vapour by light ions. In this theoretical model, the initial state of the system is composed of a projectile and a water target described by a plane wave and an accurate one-centre molecular wave function, respectively, whereas the final state is constituted by a slow ejected electron and a scattered projectile represented by a Coulomb wave and a plane wave, respectively. The obtained results are compared to available experimental data in terms of doubly differential cross sections (DDCS), singly differential cross sections (SDCS) and total cross sections (TCS). A good agreement is generally found especially for the SDCS and the TCS.     

Excited state positronium collisions with helium

Calculations of the discrete positronium (Ps) transition Ps(2s) → Ps(2p) in collisions with ground state helium are reported. Results are presented at total and single differential levels. Calculations are made within the first born approximation (FBA). The Hartley-Walters approximation is used to sum over all possible final excited atom states. In addition, impulse approximation (IA) calculations are reported for Ps(2s) and Ps(2p) fragmentation collisions with ground state helium, where the atom does not change state. Again, the FBA with the HWA is used to account for collisions in which the atom is excited or ionized.     

Dynamics of collisions with positrons

The measurement of ionization by positron impact reveals that the maximum of the electron capture to the continuum cusp is shifted from its theoretical position. In this work the hypothesis that the observed effect is the result of an anisotropic momentum distribution in the projectile-electron reference system is considered.By elaborating on the ansatz that the cusp asymmetry is qualitatively similar for positron impact than the for ion-atom collisions, we obtain fully differential cross sections that show the same features than those experimentally observed. The present estimation for the position of the maximum agrees well with cross section measurements performed in coincident electron-positron detection experiments.     

Fragmentation of water on swift He ion impact

Charge exchange and fragmentation are the usual results in ion-molecule collision systems, and the specifics of the fragmentation process determine the chemical destiny of the target system. In this paper, we report recent progress on calculations of the fragmentation patterns for the model system He²⁺ + H₂O for projectile energies of a few keV. The calculations are obtained using the electron-nuclear dynamics (END) method for solution of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation.     

二元体系中激发分子反应对正子素(Ps)形成的影响

本文讨论了e~+云团中激发分子反应对Ps形成几率的影响,认为:(1)除了云团中的过剩电子之外,某些激发分子也可以对Ps的形成作出贡献;(2)激发分子与添加剂的反应也能影响Ps形成的几率,并且不同类型的反应(激发分子的猝灭或激发分子与添加剂分子之间发生电子转移)对Ps形成几率的影响也截然不同。根据云团反应的竞争机理,提出了Ps形成几率(三重态正子素O—Ps的几率I_3)与添加剂浓度之间的一般关系式(近似式),并用所得的关系式对一些典型的有机液体与CS_2,SF_6,C_2H_5Br,CCl_4等添加剂组成的混合体系进行了理论拟合,通过对拟合参数的分析,对一些“疑难问题”作出了明确的解释。并把添加剂的电子亲合势和激发分子的电离势等有机地联系了起来。     

Polarization effects on the cross-section of ion-atom collisions

Coupled-channel cross-sections for electron capture, ionization and electron loss due to polarization effects are calculated. The maximum impact parameter for electron escape is analyzed within the classical framework. The probabilities of ionization and capture are analyzed simultaneously by a semi-empirical method. Differing from the n-body classical trajectory Monte Carlo method, the condition for electron escape is determined by Coulomb forces related to the two nuclei. This method can be used to calculate coupled-channel cross-sections rather than single-channel ones in other methods. Therefore the calculated results can be compared with experimental data directly. In the low energy range, neglecting the ionization effect, the single-capture cross-sections of hydrogen atoms induced by various partially-stripped ions were calculated. In the high energy range, neglecting the capture effect on ionization, the pure-ionization cross-sections of neon atoms induced by Ne^q+ (q = 4, 6, 8) and Ar^q+ (q = 4, 6, 8, 10) at an incident energy E = 1.05 MeV/u were calculated. Good agreement was found between our calculation and experimental data in the literature. This method had been partially applied for intermediate energy successfully.     

Low energy elastic scattering of positrons by CO: An application of continued fractions and Schwinger variational iterative methods

Iterative Schwinger variational methods and the method of continued fractions, widely used for electron-molecule scattering, are applied for the first time to investigate positron-molecule interactions. Specifically, integral and differential cross sections for elastic positron scattering by CO in the (0.5-20) eV energy range are calculated and reported. In our calculation, a static plus correlation-polarization potential is used to represent the collisional dynamics. Our calculated results are in general agreement with the theoretical and experimental data available in the literature.     

Quantum-trajectory calculations of proton-hydrogen model collisions

We investigate a proton-hydrogen model collision using a method based on the de Broglie-Bohm formulation of quantum dynamics. By studying the quantum-trajectories of the particles we obtain approximate ionization and capture cross sections that are in good agreement with the exact values. In particular, the implementation of this high-order approximation method allows us to solve each trajectory independently. The method has a relatively low computational cost and can be straightforwardly parallelized for many bodies systems.     

Total elemental composition analysis of soil samples using the PIXE technique

The determination of major and trace element contents in soils was developed by acid digestion method combined with particle-induced X-ray emission spectrometry (PIXE). The digestion of soils was achieved by using nitric acid (HNO₃), hydrochloric acid HCl and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) with repeated additions. A 20 μL aliquot from the digested samples was evaporated on the Nuclepore Track-Etch Membrane and irradiated by the 2.5 MeV proton beam from the single-end type Van de Graaff accelerator. The accuracy of this methodology was estimated based on series of measurements done for a reference material of soil CRM 023-050. The proposed experimental procedure was shown to have good reproducibility of the experimental results. The corresponding limits of detection (LODs) for Na, Mg, Al, P, S, Cl, K, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Sr, Mo and Cd were estimated. Other soil characteristics such as total carbon (TC) and nitrogen (TN) content, pH and electrical conductivity (EC) were also measured.